…and how to cook Collard Greens

According to Bob Polomski, Extension Consumer Horticulturist, Clemson University, it is time to start your fall vegetable garden if you live in the Piedmont (Upstate) of South Carolina. Starting plants from seed or young plant is an inexpensive way to add fresh organically grown vegetables and fruit to your table, as you can harvest much, and enjoy the pleasure of food grown at home, picking it at the height of maturity and waltzing it direct from the garden to the kitchen without having to stop at the store on your way home from work. If you live in an area with limited planting space, try a container garden. Many plants can make the most of vertical space. Try a pot with stakes for the branches to climb like pole beans, ready to eat after 60-70 days or peas, ready 65-80 days after planting. Visit this link for more information on Planning a Garden.

How to Cook Collard Greens, contributed by Renato Vicario

If you have more space, try a Southern favorite, Collards, and plant July 1-Aug. 30. As they grow choose some leaves for a quick sauté. According to Renato Vicario, Slow Food Upstate Board member-and a really good cook- To prepare, pour a small amount of good olive oil in a pan in order to prevent sticking, and warm at medium heat, adding when warm, a sliver or two of Habanero pepper. This hot pepper with a floral and citrus like flavor being an acid will decrease the bitterness of the collards and create an interesting heat that does not remain on your pallet unlike the flavor of the Jalapeno. Add a bit of fresh garlic for taste and a sliver of fresh ginger. Ginger contains gingerols, an oil in the plant which increase the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, and helps to break down the fibrous quality of the collards and aid in digestion, by stimulating production of saliva. The Gingerols also have analgesic, sedative, and antibacterial properties and have been shown to fight skin cancer and ovarian cancer. You may also opt to add a sliver or two of lemon peel, yellow only, for an added tanginess. The pepper, ginger, garlic and lemon peel should go into the heated oil before the collards, as the oil will extract the properties of the ingredients. Then toss the cleaned and dried leaves of the collards and sauté until wilted, turning with a spoon until the leaves are mixed well in the oil and spices without overcooking. Remove from heat and eat while hot.

Resources: The Archives of Family Medicine, http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/7/6/523#SEC8 and http://www.thefoodpaper.com/features/health/ginger.html